Players of some string musical instruments grasp a pick between the thumb and the index finger and move the pick across the strings to create sounds. These picks are generally a thin plastic material with smooth surfaces. To prevent a pick from sliding and pivoting relative to the thumb and index finger, the pick must be tightly held. Holding a pick tightly tends to reduce the flexibility of the pick and thereby changes tonal quality. Holding a pick tightly also tires the thumb, index finger and hand. To over come these problems thumb picks were developed.
Thumb picks, currently employed by some musicians, solve the problems encountered with standard picks. Musicians can play for longer periods of time and produce more consistent tones than was generally possible with standard flat picks.
Thumb picks, as currently used have a fixed relationship between the tip of the pick and the thumb retainer. To change the distance the pick extends outward from the thumb and thereby change the maximum distance the tip can extend into the strings requires a purchase of a new thumb pick with the desired dimensions or shorting the old thumb pick by removing material.
The orientation of the string engaging tip of a pick relative to a musician's thumb depends upon the position in which the instrument is held and the preference of the musician. At one extreme the tip extend outward at a right angle to the long axis of the thumb. In the other extreme position, the pick tip extends outward from the end of the thumb and parallel to the long axis of the thumb. Most musicians prefer positions somewhere between the two extremes. The angular position of the string engaging tip of currently available thumb picks is set during manufacture. A musician must purchase a thumb pick that is made with the desired angular position of the pick relative to the thumb retainer. In many cases the precise angular position is not available and the musician must comprise to some extent.